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Sandusky Expects Vindication: Attorney

Convicted pedophile Jerry Sandusky will be sentenced to prison on Tuesday. NBC10's LuAnn Cahn sat down for an exclusive interview with his attorney to talk about why the former Penn State football coach expects to be vindicated. (Published Monday, Oct. 8, 2012)

In the days counting down to Jerry Sandusky’s sentencing, his attorney, Joe Amendola, says while Sandusky ultimately expects to be vindicated, he is prepared to hear the worst on Tuesday.

“It’s going to be tantamount to a life sentence for Jerry,” Amendola said.

Sandusky, who had become a hometown hero as a Penn State football coach and as a champion for underprivileged boys, was found guilty of 45 out of 48 counts of child sex abuse in June. Before the judge decides how much time Sandusky will spend in prison, some of his victims may talk. And so may Jerry.

“He’s going to say that he’s innocent.”

NBC10’s Lu Ann Cahn will cover the sentencing hearing on Tuesday.

Sandusky admits to no wrongdoing, Amendola says, but he does admit making a mistake.

“What Jerry has always said, his mistake was using bad judgment and doing some of the things that led up to the accusations -- getting showers with kids," Amendola said. "He said he should have realized, obviously, that wasn’t the thing to do. But he’s always maintained and still maintains his innocence.”

Sandusky has spent the last three months in a cell with a bed, sink and toilet.

“It’s a Spartan life. He’s isolated," Amendola said. "Not because he’s bad, not because they think he’s a bad person, but for his own protection.”

And Sandusky has been busy writing a detailed document that he is convinced will be the key to his appeal.

“I believe that he was set up, I really do," Amendola said. "I believe this started out as an investigation into Jerry Sandusky, but as soon as the power people realized that this could also implicate Penn State, I think this took on a life of its own.”

Amendola says there were inconsistencies in the testimony from accusers that jurors simply ignored.

“If Jerry Sandusky did all the things these young people said he did, he didn’t have time to do anything else – he didn’t have time to be a parent, he didn’t have time to be an assistant coach at Penn State – my God he was busy doing all these sexual activities with all these kids!”

Sandusky is more than ready to be sentenced, Amendola explains, because for them, the sentencing finally triggers the appeals process. The basis of their appeal will be that Sandusky was denied due process.

Not only was there a rush to judgment, Amendola says, there was an unjustified, unfair, un-American rush to trial. Listen to his heated argument of how Penn State administrators Tim Curly and Gary Schultz have been treated by the judicial system compared to Sandusky:

Jerry Was Pushed to Trial, Dragged to Trial

Looking back, Amendola says he does have regrets -- Sandusky should have testified and they should have asked for an out-of-county jury. But the biggest regret was the interview with Bob Costas.

This is why it backfired:

That Long Pause...

When Jerry Sandusky walks into court on Tuesday, he’ll look different than the last time you probably saw him, handcuffed after his guilty verdict and led away in his starched white shirt and brown sports coat.

“You’re gonna see a guy who’s lost some weight," Amendola said. "They may have him dressed in prison garb ... the bright orange. And he’s lost weight. But he’s feisty!”

Amendola says Sandusky’s spirits are unbelievably high.

“He really believes that he’s going to be vindicated," Amendola said. "He really anticipates he’s going to get another shot at this.”